Personally, this Ravens matchup is my "McDermott Game."

[Buffalo03]

20 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

And even a bigger idiot if anyone thinks that if they fire McD, someone is going to come in a do a better job.  Over the past 5 years combined, the Bills have won the 2nd most games behind the Chiefs 66 to 61.  If you exclude the top 5 teams on the list, from that point down, the next 5 to 10 teams would need to take their 6 year combined wins against Bills 5 year totals to catch him and after about #15 on the list would take 7 seasons.  Over the past 5 season the Bills are also first in TD's, yards, yards per game, opposing points and points per game (those 2 surprised me a bit)  2nd in first downs and 3rd down percent and a disappointing 4th place in fourth  down %, a whole 1.1% behind the leader.

 

When you look at numbers like that there is so little room for improvement, the likelihood is very very low.  I get the argument too, that you can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results, but the counter to that is, If you're going to change something expecting to get better, you need a well laid out plan what's going to change so you get better.   And in selecting NFL coaches there really isn't a plan, it's just getting lucky with the right person.  If there was a plan many teams would have figured it out and succeeded already.  Picking an NFL that will succeed is not much better than the equivalent of playing roulette and hoping you hit on your number.

 

There was an article in the Athletic the other day discussing how:  Teams should also realize that hiring offensive coordinators as head coaches is not critical or even important for making sure your offense and your team contends at the highest levels.  and gave 5 examples of winning HC who never called offensive plays John Harbaugh, McD, Campbell, Bowles, and Quinn and then gave some examples of hoe name coaches to hire who never worked out for various reasons

 

You may be onto something about those complaining about picking the wrong Josh

Which coaches had hoe names?

[Buffalo03]

2 minutes ago, FireChans said:

I think he's saying the coach, GM and QB can't be all among the best in the league when we have played in 1 AFCCG in a blowout loss in the last 5 seasons.

It sounded to me like he was saying if Allen is a top 2 QB, then why haven't we gone further? And he didn't correct it either. Allen has done everything he could do. 

[Mister Defense]

On 1/17/2025 at 2:31 PM, Rigotz said:

[EDIT: Removing the part where I said McDermott is “at least average” because people are getting waaaay too focused on that. I simply meant his detractors would say he’s average.]
 

To me, this is the statement playoff game McDermott needs.

 

Round 1 over Denver was a huge defensive win. Holding them to 7 points was impressive.

In the 7 games prior to our Wild Card matchup, the Broncos had scored 29, 41, 31, 34, 24, and 38.

 

Round 2, we face a Ravens offense that has been dominant.

If McDermott shuts down the Ravens or at least holds them under 20'ish points, that's it for me. I'll stop talking about his job security.

 

No coach can shut down every elite QB and elite offense every year and yes, he's had some poor defensive performances in the playoffs.

 

However, if he gets it done this time, I've seen enough. Bring him back with open arms next year and probably again the following year.

 

Anybody else feel the same?

 

Just a quick clarifying question, based on this statement in your OP: 

 

"If McDermott shuts down the Ravens or at least holds them under 20'ish points, that's it for me."

 

In order for McDermott to keep his job next year as the Bills' head coach, your statement above seems to clearly imply that if the Bills win this game 41-38 McDermott should not be back as the head coach next year. Or, 51-45, 35-34 etcetera

 

As that type of victory by the Bills would definitely mean the Bills did not 'shut down the Ravens' or 'at least hold them to under 20'ish points'

 

Is my point accurate or is it just a misinterpretation of your generous, well thought out criteria for McDermott to hold onto his job?

 

It is something I want to know before the game and I am sure McDermott has been thinking the same thing since you created the OP.

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, Mikie2times said:

2019 Allen took off. I give him some credit, but to look at this like it doesn’t work without him just not accurate. It doesn’t work with Allen. What McD gives us is replaceable. 

I disagree with 2019 Allen.  The defense carried us in 2019 ranking 2nd in points against (3rd in yards allowed) while our offense finished 23rd in points against (24th in yards allowed).  Allen didn't even have above a 300 yard passing game that year until Diggs got here.

 

I don't think Pegula feels the pressure that a lot of us feel in wasting Allen during his prime years with a great regular season coach and a poor postseason coach once the divisional round hits.  If we lose this Sunday and our offense plays great then I'd immediately either pivot to Ben Johnson, Todd Monken, or Joe Brady as head coach.  It won't happen with Pegula though so it's a pointless argument anyways.

[ProcessTruster]

2 hours ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

 

Except he's choked it away even when everything did come together for him, like the 13 seconds game. Your coach's side of the ball and game management shouldn't be an anchor for your team to overcome to make it to the promised land, it should be a positive. It hasn't been for us. Even the Perfect Storm wasn't good enough for him. 

Correct me if someone has the definitive word on this, but my understanding is that McD told Heath Farwell to have Bass squib kick with 13 seconds left (which would have forced the returner to pick up the ball and return it, running the clock down well below 13 sec and ending the game) but Farwell failed to get the call in to Bass.   Taiwan Jones said later he "could not believe" Bass was kicking it through the end zone. 

 

So if my understanding is correct, McD made the right call and Farwell screwed it up.   McD courageously took the heat  (called it a "learning experience for all ")and refused to throw Farwell under the bus (although he fired him "Leslie Frazier style" quietly later).  Bass has never been pushed to talk as far as I know.

 

So instead of continuing to rip McD for 13 seconds, he should be commended for not shunting the blame on his ST coach Farwell, who (my understanding is) totally pooped the bed.   McD manned up and took the blame even though Farwell did the deed.   That's the guy I want at the top of my organization.  

 

If someone has the actually documented facts on this, chime in, but the whole 13 seconds thing has been misrepresented for 3 years IMO.

 

 

Edited Saturday at 08:42 PM by ProcessTruster

[FireChans]

25 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

It sounded to me like he was saying if Allen is a top 2 QB, then why haven't we gone further? And he didn't correct it either. Allen has done everything he could do. 

You are correct. Allen is doing everything he can do. We should obviously not get rid of him. how else can we improve the team’s success?

[GoBills808]

6 minutes ago, ProcessTruster said:

Correct me if someone has the definitive word on this, but my understanding is that McD told Heath Farwell to have Bass squib kick with 13 seconds left (which would have forced the returner to pick up the ball and return it, running the clock down well below 13 sec and ending the game) but Farwell failed to get the call in to Bass.   Taiwan Jones said later he "could not believe" Bass was kicking it through the end zone. 

 

So if my understanding is correct, McD made the right call and Farwell screwed it up.   McD courageously took the heat  (called it a "learning experience for all ")and refused to throw Farwell under the bus (although he fired him quietly later).  Bass has never been pushed to talk as far as I know.

 

So instead of continuing to rip McD for 13 seconds, he should be commended for not shunting the blame on his ST coach Farwell, who (my understanding is) totally pooped the bed.   McD manned up and took the blame even though Farwell did the deed.   That's the guy I want at the top of my organization.  

 

If someone has the actually documented facts on this, chime in, but the whole 13 seconds thing has been misrepresented for 3 years IMO.

 

 

100% incorrect as reported by Dunne

 

Kicking it deep and away from Hill was McDermott's call, Farwell called for squib

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

51 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

Which coaches had hoe names?

 

Well if you did some checking, you'd probably find a lot of coaches meet that definition!!

 

Reading it back now and looking at it, to be honest, I can't figure out now what word I was trying to write!

[colin]

4 hours ago, ProcessTruster said:

the NFL is not "all or nothing". 

 

Don't let the media put your fandom in that box.  

 

The media decided a while back that NFL W/L records and Divisional titles, plus now College Conference titles in all sports are all meaningless and for nought, and all that matters is the almighty tournaments,  bc that's where the ad dollar revenue is the greatest, so that where the emphasis has gone.   

 

And fans have bought in and now grade their team on whether they won the tournament or not, black or white, one or zero.  Sorry,but to put your fandom in that little box is pretty f ing sad.  

 

McBeanes and the organization have taken a pretty tough roster position and cobbled together yet another great, dominant season, way beyond what anyone thought possible in August.   Basically crushed every team they played.   

 

But no, the media has shaped your perception that all that matters is the SB and that it is "all or nothing".   After all the joy that this team has brought to the fanbase this season, we're going to let the media drive us to judge their entire year on a couple year end tournament games?   Against teams we've already beaten in some cases?  Really?   Not me.  McBeanes have been killing it for the past 100+ games.   After 20 years of suck, I am hanging onto that and running with it.  Screw the tournament hype. 

 

 

 

 

nope, the media has shape my opinion zero.

 

we need a chip, we don't have one.  we feel really really close, but we did in the 90s too.  that team lost 4 in a row in the super bowl, if this team falls tomorrow, it's 4 years in a row in the divisional round, 3 in a row at home.  if it were only one year out of 8 in the playoffs, but it was a championship year, then im way way happier than 8 solid years and no hardware.

 

it really is all or nothing, particularly for mcd.  he'll go down as a shottenheimer who squandered josh allen, or an all time coach.  that's it.

[Buffalo03]

45 minutes ago, FireChans said:

You are correct. Allen is doing everything he can do. We should obviously not get rid of him. how else can we improve the team’s success?

I honestly don't know to be honest. Just play better in big moments. There's no guarantee changing HCs is gonna do anything either

[Gen2]

2 hours ago, Mikie2times said:

You act like you haven’t heard about Ben Johnson or hell, even Joe Brady. 

 

Actually, I have heard of both of them. How many Super Bowls or conference championships have THEY won????

 

And what makes you feel they would be more successful than our current coach. Especially Brady. Don't get me wrong, I love what Brady is doing, but many thought he wasn't "ready" to be an OC when he got the job. I'm not convinced he would be ready for HC ... I could be wrong, it's just my opinion.

Edited Saturday at 10:02 PM by Gen2
Spelling error

[3rdand12]

1 hour ago, ProcessTruster said:

Correct me if someone has the definitive word on this, but my understanding is that McD told Heath Farwell to have Bass squib kick with 13 seconds left (which would have forced the returner to pick up the ball and return it, running the clock down well below 13 sec and ending the game) but Farwell failed to get the call in to Bass.   Taiwan Jones said later he "could not believe" Bass was kicking it through the end zone. 

 

So if my understanding is correct, McD made the right call and Farwell screwed it up.   McD courageously took the heat  (called it a "learning experience for all ")and refused to throw Farwell under the bus (although he fired him "Leslie Frazier style" quietly later).  Bass has never been pushed to talk as far as I know.

 

So instead of continuing to rip McD for 13 seconds, he should be commended for not shunting the blame on his ST coach Farwell, who (my understanding is) totally pooped the bed.   McD manned up and took the blame even though Farwell did the deed.   That's the guy I want at the top of my organization.  

 

If someone has the actually documented facts on this, chime in, but the whole 13 seconds thing has been misrepresented for 3 years IMO.

 

 

This is how McDermott has always operated. Glad you posted this  for Us

 As I have  said , the big mistakes we harp upon ? Were nearly all his advisors in his headset , or poor execution/communications within the staff when the clock is ticking

He just owns it. This is a fine example and thanks !

 

 Now that being said ? He has to fix those process problems. Right call being sent in. Everyone being on the right page quickly and accurately

And executing that strategy

[Mikie2times]

6 minutes ago, Gen2 said:

 

Actually, I have heard of both of them. How many Super Bowls or conference championships have THEY won????

 

And what makes you feel they would be more successful than our current coach. Especially Brady. Don't get me wrong, I love what Brady is doing, but many thought he wasn't "ready" to be an OC when he got the job. I'm not convinced he would be ready for HC ... I could be wrong, it's just my opinion.

 

I feel McD's system is becoming outdated and his expertise on defense and not offense hurts the continuity of the offense (because our OC will leave in 2-3 max). It leaves us in a bad position, forced into a defense that is no longer ideal and unable to develop the offense even further. Imagine if we would have been able to iterate on our offense for the last 6 years because our HC is the brains of it? It's a huge advantage. One that a dynasty like KC is currently enjoying.

 

If you want a defensive centered HC he better be flexible and scheme agnostic like Bill Belichick, but that just isn't McD. He's married to this system, it's who he is and most are married to one way, but not ideal with a HOF QB and system that is no longer optimal. Further his style of play puts our identity at conflict. On one hand we want to have this ball control, power offense, on the other, our defense is built to not be able to stop what we want to be. Well, the Ravens are it and on both sides. So what I won't take is "we lost to a GREAT Ravens team". It's put up or shut up time for him. It's his system which puts us at a perceived disadvantage in this game and it's not like it's a new concept that running and stopping the run wins championships.  This is no longer a league where you can just play two deep and not get killed so the question is are we adapting? I don't think we are or we will.

 

Now if he had some playoff success, ice in his veins, or if he was an extreme motivator then great. At least it's a fether in the cap to justify what ADDED value he brings. But he is none of those things. He's introverted and wound tight and borderline awkward in his post game speeches. It is entirely possible a coach like this can be so methodical he would be a great option for a rebuilding team. It's just as possible he is not a great option for one that is trying be lose and to win a Super Bowl. 

 

I actually feel like we could play well tomorrow. I have felt it all week to be honest. The disrespect to our team has been thick. He can change the narrative a considerable amount with a solid showing tomorrow so we will see. 

 

   

[FireChans]

1 hour ago, Buffalo03 said:

I honestly don't know to be honest. Just play better in big moments. There's no guarantee changing HCs is gonna do anything either

No there’s not.

 

There was no guarantee we would find a QB better than Tyrod. We still tried.

[Buffalo03]

4 minutes ago, FireChans said:

No there’s not.

 

There was no guarantee we would find a QB better than Tyrod. We still tried.

That's a way off comparison. We had a much better chance at hitting on a first round QB over Tyrod. And we were nowhere near as good as we are now. We were literally one year removed from a 17 year playoff drought. Replacing McDermott guarantees nothing and could possibly make it worse if you get a coach the players don't like, don't respect and don't wanna play for. You only fire McDermott if he loses the locker room. No other time

Edited Saturday at 10:36 PM by Buffalo03

[3rdand12]

1 minute ago, FireChans said:

No there’s not.

 

There was no guarantee we would find a QB better than Tyrod. We still tried.

Continuous improvement .

But

Known commodity and fully invested by Pegula/Bills. With all the Coaches McD has in place after Many changes to dial it in ( can take awhile)

Kromer, Babich  and  Brady to mention the keys more recently put into their roles.

Or start over , excepting Josh

 Lets let this roll a few more minutes please.

 

4 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

That's a way off comparison. We had a much better chance at hitting on a first round QB over Tyrod. And we were nowhere near as good as we are now. We were literally one year removed from a 17 year playoff drought. Replacing McDermott guarantees nothing and could possibly make it worse if you get a coach the players don't like, don't respect and don't wanna play for. You only fire McDermott if he loses the locker room. No other time

Good point indeed. Adds to my last point. They clearly love him.

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

2 hours ago, ProcessTruster said:

Correct me if someone has the definitive word on this, but my understanding is that McD told Heath Farwell to have Bass squib kick with 13 seconds left (which would have forced the returner to pick up the ball and return it, running the clock down well below 13 sec and ending the game) but Farwell failed to get the call in to Bass.   Taiwan Jones said later he "could not believe" Bass was kicking it through the end zone. 

 

So if my understanding is correct, McD made the right call and Farwell screwed it up.   McD courageously took the heat  (called it a "learning experience for all ")and refused to throw Farwell under the bus (although he fired him "Leslie Frazier style" quietly later).  Bass has never been pushed to talk as far as I know.

 

So instead of continuing to rip McD for 13 seconds, he should be commended for not shunting the blame on his ST coach Farwell, who (my understanding is) totally pooped the bed.   McD manned up and took the blame even though Farwell did the deed.   That's the guy I want at the top of my organization.  

 

If someone has the actually documented facts on this, chime in, but the whole 13 seconds thing has been misrepresented for 3 years IMO.

 

 

I have always disagreed with this thinking. That 100% falls on McD. He should have personally given Bass and the entire special teams the direction or been with Farewell when he gave it to Bass. He doesn’t get a pass from me. I get delegating responsibility for routine games and plays. This was the biggest play in McDermott’s career to date. He should have given the code red personally. 
 

McDermott said it was a learning experience, in that case I would expect him to deliver the message in the future.

[FireChans]

55 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

That's a way off comparison. We had a much better chance at hitting on a first round QB over Tyrod. And we were nowhere near as good as we are now. We were literally one year removed from a 17 year playoff drought. Replacing McDermott guarantees nothing and could possibly make it worse if you get a coach the players don't like, don't respect and don't wanna play for. You only fire McDermott if he loses the locker room. No other time

What?

 

we had a better chance on hitting first round QB’s?

 

what?

 

are you under the impression we had a better chance of finding a Josh Allen level QB than we do finding an HC that could win a Super Bowl with a Josh Allen level QB?

[ganesh]

9 hours ago, SoMAn said:

I think some of you don’t have a grasp on the difficulty of getting to, let alone winning a Super Bowl. There are several NFL coaches who have made Super Bowl appearances, some of whom have a Lombardi in the display case. McVay, Harbaugh, Payton, Tomlin among them. All great coaches, but multiple Super Bowl wins have been elusive. Did they suddenly suck at coaching?
Every year there are several outstanding coaches, some whom make the playoffs and some who don’t. 
Winning the big game is having everything come together in ‘the perfect storm’.  Coach, QB, GM, draft choices who contribute, and sometimes a little luck with the bounce of that weird ball. 

As a Bills’ fan, the last thing I’d want is an owner with a knee jerk reaction that would fire a coach like McDermott, only to start from scratch by gambling on another, probably with less experience. That’s a great recipe for a revolving door of coaches (and players) that get changed out every 2 or 3 years and brings back those nostalgic days of an extended playoff drought.  
Keep calling for a new coach. Be careful what you wish for. 
 

It is also possible that those coaches who won the ONE super bowl put in a different approach that year and then were never able to replicate it.  

 

The question with McDermott is - if you know he cannot get you over the hump, then what are you playing for -  Moral victories in regular season ?

[LABILLBACKER]

4 hours ago, Sammy Watkins' Rib said:

I have always disagreed with this thinking. That 100% falls on McD. He should have personally given Bass and the entire special teams the direction or been with Farewell when he gave it to Bass. He doesn’t get a pass from me. I get delegating responsibility for routine games and plays. This was the biggest play in McDermott’s career to date. He should have given the code red personally. 
 

McDermott said it was a learning experience, in that case I would expect him to deliver the message in the future.

This is exactly what I said the day after 13s.  He's the HC and the leader of this entire team you ensure accurate communication. You walk out on the field with your entire ST, including Bass and tell them exactly what you want. Execute the pop up pouch somewhere around the 5-10. It's either a fair catch or you force them to burn 4 seconds. Game Over.

 

No-one will ever be able to convince me that this human error didn't cost us a great chance at a Chip.